Corporate Policy Digital Accessibility

Policy No: 10-01-13
Effective date: December 9, 2025

Tab: General Government
Section: General
Subject: Digital Accessibility

A. Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to ensure all Web Content and media assets developed for Peel Region’s External Websites are accessible for persons with disabilities.

This policy will apply to all Web Content and applications owned or controlled directly by Peel Region or through a contractual relationship that allows for modification of the web product.

Web content may include, but is not limited to, the following:

Council reports and minutes
Forms
Maps
Data files (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, PDFs)
Images and photos
Videos
Web-based tools and applications
Graphs and data charts

B. Scope

This policy applies to all Peel Region employees, volunteers, consultants and third-party service providers who develop Web Content and provide web applications for any owned website on behalf of Peel Region.

This policy confirms that the Peel Region shall conform with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 (AODA), specifically section 14 of the Integrated Accessibility Standards, Regulation (IASR) (O. Reg. 191/11) that requires external websites and Web Content published after January 1, 2012, to comply with the World Wide Web Consortium Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0, Level AA.

This policy shall be in accordance with the:

In addition, this policy shall be in accordance with the following Peel Region policies, by-laws and guidelines:

G00-20 Accessibility
G00-23 Accessible Formats and Communications Supports
H00-23 Health Professionals Website Policy
HR03-32 Accommodation for Persons with Disabilities
Peel Region Procurement By-law 30-2018
Peel Region Editorial Style Guide
Web accessibility statement for content providers
Retention By-law Graphics & Web Design/Production
Retention By-law Public Relations

C. Background

The Peel Region Multi-Year Accessibility Plan sets out a path to an accessible Peel Region by reducing and eliminating Barriers. The plan has been developed to ensure Barriers faced by persons with disabilities are prioritized and improved, including Barriers to accessing information. The plan highlights Peel Region’s commitment to ensuring our website and Web Content is accessible and will meet WCAG 2.0, Level AA standard. This policy has been implemented to ensure that Peel Region commits and adheres to the requirements of the 2018-2025 Multi-Year Accessibility Plan and is following legislated requirements by maintaining external websites that are accessible, mobile-enabled, searchable, findable, and usable.

D. Definitions

Accessible format: Accessible formats may include, but are not limited to, large print, recorded audio and electronic formats, braille and other formats usable by persons with disabilities. It means providing information in a different form that accommodates the specific needs of a person with a Disability, ensuring equal access to content, services, or communication.

Assistive devices: Technical aids and communication devices modified or customized for use in increasing or improving the functional ability of a person with a Disability.

Barriers: Obstacles that impede people with disabilities from fully participating in all aspects of society because of their Disability. Barriers can include attitudinal, technological, physical, information/communication, organizational/systemic, financial and social.

Communication supports: Tools to facilitate effective communications with persons with disabilities. These may include, but are not limited to, captions, alternative (alt) text for images, plain language, and sign language.

Content Developer, Owner, or Provider: Peel Region employees or a third party that creates documents which are posted on Peel’s external websites. A content developer, owner, or provider can also refer to the program area.

Digital Accessibility: The ability of a website, mobile application, or electronic document to be easily navigated and understood by a wide range of users, including those users who have visual, auditory, motor, cognitive, or any other disabilities.

Disability: As defined in the Human Rights Code:

Any degree of physical Disability, infirmity, malformation or disfigurement that is caused by bodily injury, birth defect or illness and, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, includes diabetes mellitus, epilepsy, a brain injury, any degree of paralysis, amputation, lack of physical coordination, blindness or visual impediment, deafness or hearing impediment, muteness or speech impediment, or physical reliance on a guide dog or other animal or on a wheelchair or other remedial appliance or device;
A condition of mental impairment or a developmental Disability.
A learning Disability, or a dysfunction in one or more of the processes involved in understanding or using symbols or spoken language.
A mental disorder; or
An injury or Disability for which benefits were claimed or received under the insurance plan established under the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act, 1997.

External websites: Peel Region owned websites including but not limited to peelregion.ca, pama.peelregion.ca, and data.peelregion.ca.

Program areas: The department and division that owns or manages content including but not limited to presentations, reports, and videos.

Source document: The original file a PDF is created from. This can include a Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, or Excel file with content.

Text alternatives: Convey the purpose of an image or function to provide an equivalent user experience. Text alternatives are equivalents for noncontent.

Short equivalents for images, including icons, buttons, and graphics.
Description of data represented on charts, diagrams, and illustrations.
Brief descriptions of non-text content such as audio and video files.
Labels for form controls, input, and other user interface components.

Third party service provider: An individual, an agency, or an organization that is responsible for delivering goods or services on behalf of Peel Region. These may include, but are not limited to, contractors and vendors.

Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0: Accessibility requirements for Web Content, including text, images, audio-visual materials, and the code used for structure, style, and interactions.

Website Accessibility Conformance Evaluation Methodology (WCAG-EM): Is an approach for determining how well a website conforms to Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG). WCAG-EM is a supporting resource for WCAG standard; it does not define additional WCAG requirements.

Web content: Refers to the textual, aural, or visual content published on a website. Content means any creative element, for example, text, applications, images, archived e-mail messages, data, e-services, audio and video files, and so on.

E. Policy

Website content produced during their design and development stages such as publications, presentations, tools, videos, and documents will be created in adherence to WCAG 2.0 AA guidelines.

All Peel Region employees and third-party service providers creating communications and creative assets for External Websites shall comply to WCAG 2.0 Level AA.
Content to be created for the web shall be made accessible within the Source Document:
1. Provide alternative text for each photo.
  1. On the web, this may not be applicable, as most images are decorative. The alt attribute will be present but could be kept empty and/or include the aria-hidden attribute and set it to true as aria - hidden=”true” within the image tag.
2. Website content must be provided in Accessible Formats.
  1. These can be fully accessible PDF or Word document, or plain HTML.
3. Language should be clear and concise. Language should adhere to Peel Region's Editorial Style Guide.
4. The built-in accessibility checkers should be used to review documentation.
5. Hyperlinked text (link anchor labels) should be unique for each link unless it links to the same page.
  1. Hyperlink text should provide enough contextual reference.
6. Sufficient colour contrast.
Documentation designed as a PDF file will be remediated and where possible, alternate formats of content will be provided.
1. This shall also apply to third party service providers who require content on Peel Region’s External Websites.
This policy shall be referenced within any contract of services or statements of work for Web Content, websites, services, or applications.
All Peel Region’s employees that write content and design assets for External Websites will be provided access to training modules and guidelines.
All Peel Region owned websites will be reviewed annually for accessibility compliance and will adhere to the Website Accessibility Conformance Evaluation Method.
All efforts to create accessible content must be considered. In some instances, the content may not comply with requirements in this policy. This may include:
1. Content that was published before 2012.
2. It is not technically feasible to convert the information or communications
3. Content that is outside of organizational control.
4. No commercial software is available to make content accessible.
5. Not practicable or feasible due to extremely high costs or resources.
Non-compliant content posted online must be approved by the program area Director. This content will be remediated and reposted with an accessible version within 60 days.
Alternative accessible formats will be provided if requested by website users.

F. Responsibilities

Strategic Communications shall:
1. Oversee the operations and management of peelregion.ca and pama.peelregion.ca.
2. Ensure all information on peelregion.ca and pama.peelregion.ca is compliant with WCAG 2.0 Level AA.
3. Support the Strategic Communications division and program areas on Digital Accessibility best practices and compliance.
4. Review this policy on an annual basis and will update it accordance with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005.
5. Communicate updates to the policy on the Clerks division intranet site.
6. Educate divisional employees on the policy and guidelines.
7. Understand Digital Accessibility standards, best practices, and resources. Support program areas by advising and complying to Digital Accessibility standards when creating content and assets for the website.
Content developers, owners, and program areas shall:
1. Understand and adhere to I10-01-13 Digital Accessibility and web accessibility statement for content providers.
2. Complete Digital Accessibility training.
3. Provide content in an Accessible Format for the website.
4. Provide an alternative Accessible Format if requested by website users.
5. Cover the costs associated with the remediation of non-accessible files on External Websites.
6. Ensure contracted third parties provide accessible documents and assets for posting on the website. Responsible for sharing relevant policies and resources with third parties.
7. The Peel Data Centre team is responsible for uploading and managing all content on data.peelregion.ca, while ensuring all information is compliant with WCAG 2.0 Level AA.
Third party service providers shall:
1. Provide documents and creative assets that are compliant with WCAG 2.0 AA and the Digital Accessibility Policy.
People leaders shall:
1. Understand and adhere to I10-01-13 Digital Accessibility.
2. Complete Digital accessibility training for people leaders.
3. Ensure employees that develop content for External Websites have awareness of the I10-01-13 Digital Accessibility, resources and best practices.
Directors shall:
1. Approve the posting of non-compliant content on the website for their program areas.
2. Ensure appropriate remediation timelines are met for their program area.
3. Budget for costs related to remediation.

G. Guidelines

Resources and guidelines pertaining to Digital Accessibility are available on the Digital Accessibility at Peel Pathways page. Additional information on accessibility and AODA compliance for the Peel Region is available on the Office of Culture and Inclusion division intranet site and training modules.

Approval source: CAO Directive C25-19
Original approval date: February 5, 2021
Last review/update: December 9, 2025
Effective date: December 9, 2025
Responsibility: Director, Strategic Communications
Revision details: Updated to align policy with Peel’s Digital Accessibility responsibilities (C25-19 – December 9, 2025).